by J M Bannon
As the black tendrils touched the metal contacts of the gemulet, Angelica’s mind slipped from her body into the gemulet. Inside she was in contact with Azul’s spiritual essence. The two of them were now fixed to a point in the astral plane where the old Arab was standing in the construct that Rose had built to control the automaton - a suit of armor connected to a control panel. This astral space had been changed since Rose Caldwell constructed it. Azul was making it his home and using his knowledge of astral projection and construction to build a more hospitable environment.
“I will miss our conversations, Azul” said Angelica’s spiritual form now manifested inside the gemulet. When she manifested this way, it was always in her original form, the tall, attractive Haitian Voodoo Queen, not that of the young French girl where her spirit was not bound.
“And I too will miss these visits. While I am enjoying my ability to navigate the mortal plane, I am pleased that Preston and I are no longer tearing each other’s mind’s apart. I am still alone in here. Your visits have kept me sane and more important in touch with my humanity,” confided Azul.
“Why don’t you stay then?”
“It makes more sense to be somewhere where the home is a bit less busy and can better accommodate my needs. Fletcher and I will live in the Gilchrist townhouse. I can begin to work again and have my own life. I am not looking to be alone, but rather for the first time to be in control,” said Azul. His spirit form moved out of the armor and floated to Angelica. She could now see the smile on his face.
“You promise to come and visit?” pleaded Angelica.
“Better you come and visit me. My first bit of research is to shed some light on where this Caiaphas may be. While you seek him to locate your son, I too have a need to find him. All that my mentor taught me, and my brotherhood was predicated on his lies. As Hermes the Thrice was seen as the father of western arcana that work rests on a foundation of sand. I must know the truth,” said Azul.
“Thank you. I know Rose wishes to find him, but I don’t see how any device her friends have created can track the portals since I destroyed the point that connected them together,” admitted Angelica. She had been flogging herself with guilt after realizing that her actions in anger had caused them to lose the trail on Caiaphas and his portal system. The thought of her foolish actions snapped her mind back to her physical body.
“I’ll see you downstairs,” said Angelica, turning to make her way down the stairs. As she neared the ground floor construction noises increased.
What started as a clean -up and repair of the damaged basement turned into a laboratory expansion, further excavation, reorganization and remodeling of Rose’s reliquary and studio arcana.
Angelica met the foreman’s eyes as he stared at her when he passed in the hallway. She then caught Rose’s gaze when she looked up from the construction plans.
“They have just arrived,” informed Angelica, sticking her head around the archway into the entry parlor.
Rose sat with two men in military uniforms along with her boss Dolly Williamson.
“Angelica, please come here.” As Angelica entered, everyone stood for introductions.
Angelica stepped in, “Detective Williamson,”
“It’s Superintendent now,” corrected Rose.
“My apologies, Superintendent,” said Angelica.
“Just Dolly,” corrected the Superintendent.
“This is Captain Elliot of the Air Service and Captain Moore of the Navy, please meet Miss Angelica Du Moya. They were just sharing with me plans that should lead us to the location of Caiaphas.”
“Captains,” said Angelica giving them a nod and offering her hand.
“Detective Caldwell, this project is of the highest confidentiality for Her Majesty,” said Captain Elliot.
“Miss Du Moya was at the site in Italy and came in contact with the machine. She may be able to share some insight as to its operation,” offered Rose.
“I’ll help in any way I can if it brings me and my son together.”
“You’ll use the detection devices to locate any use of the portal system,” said Angelica
“We have agents watching the Nexus to see if Caiaphas or any others come back,” said Dolly.
Angelica looked from the parlor the entry hall where Pāora was busy answering the door.
Pāora turned and announced the visitor, “Mister Preston Gilchrist to see you, Mistress.”
* * *
10:55 A.M. Hawkin’s House, Paddington, England
Rose ran up to Preston and gave him a huge hug, then pushed away to take a look at him. “My God, Preston I have never seen you with so much color. You look so strong and healthy.”
“I feel fit as a fiddle. Is my old flat-mate ready to move into his new abode?”
“Where is Miss von Traube?” asked Azul.
“No ‘hello’ for me old friend?” Preston said with a smile looking at the brass and leather humanoid walking down the stairs. Azul stopped and produced his hand to Preston.
“As dear as you are to me, Mr. Gilchrist, I would rather spend time with those whom I have not had to share the same skin with.”
“She is at the townhouse making some final arrangements for you with Mr. Fletcher. I thought I would come over and help you with your belongings.”
“I don’t have anything Preston, let alone warranting a freight truck,” commented Azul looking through the open door.
“That was Fletcher’s idea. He was concerned that a hack or steam carriage would be too difficult for you to fit yourself into. That will give you all the room you will need,” said Preston.
Azul just stood there.
“Is that acceptable to you?”
“Yes, fine. Why do you ask?”
“You’re just standing there, and I can’t read you. It is quite strange old friend, going from having your every thought mingled with mine to now looking at your metal visage and trying to get a signal from a raised eyebrow or smile.” Preston added.
A thin metallic chuckle came from the enunciator under the automaton’s face. “Preston, I am fine with the accommodations, let’s make our way.”
As Preston walked out he watched the lorry driver he’d hired and his helper prepare in the street opening up the truck. He called out to them as he opened the garden gate, “Are we ready?”
The assistant looked at him with a shock, dropping the board he was placing to create the ramp up into the truck.
The man said nothing his mouth open and pointing towards Preston.
“My God what is that monstrosity?” the driver yelled.
Preston turned around only to see Azul clumping down the stairs to the walk. Then it hit him how insulated and freakish the world around he and Rose had become. He had never mentioned to these men that they were going to be loading a seven-foot-tall machine man, driven by a spirit form of the ancient hermetic mystic; one who had possessed his body for years. His head swiveled back to the driver and the truck, “Gents, nothing to worry about that’s just one of Mechanist Fletcher’s latest mechanical marvels. You act like men from the stone age, do you not drive a steam powered vehicle?”
“You have nothing to fear from me, gentleman”
“Christ, it talks, Jeremy,” said the helper. The two stepped back.
“Listen here Gov., I consider me’self a liberal and accepting of all this modernity. Hell, I hope to get on one of those airships and fly around the world but there was no mention of moving a giant metal man,” the driver uttered, in shock.
“I can assure you there was no mention to me that I would be carted around in the back of a moving truck,” Azul snapped back.
“May I suggest we get Mr. Azul in the back of the panel steamer and on his way, there is a crowd forming up,” coaxed Pāora as he set his large hand on the side of the truck.
“Well, he might be drawing a crowd but you’re certain to break one up.”
Preston looked about, the people strolling the square had stopped. Faces
were peeking out of windows and carriages had come to a stop. He looked to Pāora who was neatly dressed in a dark suit but stood out in the masses with his wooly head of black hair and his face covered in tattoos. The Māori warrior was out of place anywhere but the docks and even there his size and looks would draw stares.
“Is this some new monstrosity created by the White Witch?” came a voice. A man wearing a checkered jacket an bowler holding a notepad stood waiting for an answer.
“This is where the White Witch lives?” the driver repeated, “for the goodness of all the saints Mister, why didn’t you tell us that?” asked the lorry driver.
“Sir, I hired your services to move a friend to his new flat. The specifics are none of your concern. Load him up and lets be on our way,” Preston instructed.
“Excuse me, I asked a question. Gerald Welsh, senior journalist of The Londoner, would you have a comment for me giant metal man?”
“I would Mr. Welsh. I would ask you to not refer to me as ‘giant metal man’, you may address me as either Vizier Hassan or Sir unless you are more to me than a squacking reporter in this crowd. No where do I expect to be addressed as ‘giant metal man’, nor do I wish to be included in an article written by someone with such a limited imagination.”
“Listen Gov, how about I just get on my way and you find some other transport for your monster.”
“Excuse me Sir, did you just call me a Monster?” said Azul as he placed his metal cladded foot on the one board inclined on the back of the truck. As the pistons hissed in his leg the board bowed under the force and the truck lurched under the pressure.
* * *
11:14 A.M. Hawkin’s House, Paddington, England
Rose looked out of the window next her, crouched down was Angelica. At the other window was Dolly, Rose watched him for a moment how he squinted his eyes concentrating on the mass of people. He was the most seasoned officer in Scotland Yard, certainly the most senior detective.
“There’s that prick, Welsh,” Dolly said letting go of the curtain and making his way to the door. Moor and Elliot followed. Gentleman, I ask that you stay here. There is no need for the military to get involved and the twerp out there is a nosey reporter who will want to know why you two blokes are here.
Rose walked out by Dolly’s side keeping up with his determined stride. “Never a moments rest with you is there. You couldn’t have done this at night or at least when I wasn’t here, and you had a house full of Her Majesty’s Intelligence officers?”
“Dolly, you didn’t tell me we would be having clandestine meetings to discuss the building of the portal machine today, so I agreed with Preston over a week ago to get Azul out of here.”
A crowd had formed outside her home; passers -by, and nosey neighbors were watching some type of discussion out on the street about the moving van. To make matters worse someone had tipped off Gerald Welsh, a reporter who had been following Rose’s exploits. He had been responsible for the moniker most of London used behind her back, the White Witch.
As the two came out of the house, Dolly’s driver Percy stepped from the carriage towards them, “Seems to be a tussle with the driver about taking that thing in the back. Should I whistle for a patrolman?”
“Let’s see if we can disperse this ourselves.”
“What seems to be the problem here?” Dolly announced as he pushed into the crowd
“Ah Superintendent! Is this what is next, superintendent steam powered machinations to patrol the streets?”
“Mr. Welsh, I suggest you take your flights of fancy elsewhere,” said Dolly.
“Fancy, Superintendent I along with the rest of these folks see before us a spectacular machination, a talking mechanical man, in front of the home of none other than the metaphysicist, Rose Caldwell. Miss Caldwell would you care to speak? Is this another one of your occult criminals?
“I am not a criminal. I am a man! The Vizier of the Hermetic brotherhood Azul bin Hassan Tazziz Farouq al Jani Djin.”
“Well that’s a mouthful” said Gerald.
Dolly stepped between Gerald and Azul. “Gerald you’re not the sharpest knife, are you? You get cheeky with a machine man the size of a truck, with the only one between you and it a detective that doesn’t care for reporters. If I wanted do you think I could stop it from wringing your neck?”
“I am not an It.” implored Azul.
Dolly turned and craned his neck to look at Azul. “I know you’re an associate of Detective Caldwell, but you would do best to shut whatever acts as your mouth or I will figure a way to clap the irons on you.”
“Azul, get in the panel van or the house, but get off the street,” suggested Rose.
“Oh, he is not getting in my steam Lorry, Miss!” shouted the driver.
Out of the crowd a man bound up the ramp and stood in the back of the cargo bay of the lorry. He was quite tall, wearing an oilskin duster and a cowboy hat. In his right hand he had a long pole or staff that was wrapped in a cloth tied tightly with twine. “Thank you all for coming to this sampling of my museum of curiosities!” the man said in an American accent.
“Elmore!” yelled Rose beaming with glee.
“That is right little lady, Elmore Quentin the impresario of the most famous wild west show in all of America. Come up here, Sir!” Elmore waved to the driver urging him up onto the back of the truck.
The man sheepishly climbed up and Elmore whispered into the man’s ear. The driver smiled at him and nodded then jumped down and walked to the driver’s door of the truck; entering the cab.
“Ladies and gentlemen, what you see here is just a small example of what my traveling museum of curiosities has to offer you upon admission. I have staged this vignette for you to give you a taste of the spectacular exhibits I have in store for you. Why here? Well to get the attention of the lovely Sister Rose, your very own White Witch to come to my show. If I can dazzle and amaze the world’s preeminent metaphysicist and mystic with my curiosities, how amazed might the average Londoner be?”
Rose shot him a cross look. Quentin just smiled back.
Quentin turned and pointed at Dolly, “Now, Detective, I do apologize for the grand act of pantomime and I ask if you would be so kind to grant me a pardon for this gathering and provide some help in dispersing the crowd?”
“Where will the show be held?” came a yell from the crowd.
“Yes, how much are the tickets?”
“Ah, music to my ears,” Quentin said loudly. He set the long pole against the side of the truck and crouched down reaching a hand out to Azul, “Get in the truck.” He turned to Pāora, “Help him in and you get in too.”
As Azul made his way up into the truck some of the people started to clap. When Pāora entered and stood behind Quentin there was hushed Oohs.
“You folks are in the know about Professor Quentin’s traveling museum of curiosities,” Quentin hopped down from the back of the lorry and pulled the canvas curtain across the back of the truck.
“In America, I charge a dime to see the show, but to your question as to where, well, that I am currently working out permission from the Queen herself as to the location of my tents. As to when, well you keep an eye out for an advertisement, soon as the Queen permits, I’ll be setting up those tents and having the first show.”
“Now I would love to spend some more time with you, but I have to get over to Ireland where a gentleman has wire-typed me that he has caught an actual leprechaun. He said that the fable is untrue; that the little fella, once caught would not tell him where his pot of gold was and to make his fortune, he wished to sell the leprechaun to me.”
The crowd chuckled.
“Detective, might we disperse this fine group, so I may get my truck on its way?”
“All right,” yelled Percy “move it along,”
There was some intermittent clapping then the gawkers began to move a way. A few crowded Elmore who shook their hands and smiled.
Rose pushed through the gathering and jumped at Elmo
re giving him a hug and a kiss on the cheek.
“Why did you not say anything about your visit?”
“Ah Miss Caldwell, I have something for you. He pulled back the canvas and grabbed the cloth wrapped pole, “This is yours.”
The minute her hand grabbed the pole she knew by the length and weight of the package that within was the Javelin of Light. The artifact she had given Elmore in Oklahoma to fight off the Necronist beasts. As pleased as she was to get it back she was far happier by the delivery method.
Elmore whispered to her, “You might want to have your friends get the truck out of here while I get the last of the spectators on their way and let them know the driver expects three times his wages.”
“Professor, when you are finished here, would you have time for a tea?” Rose said for all to hear.
“I do, thank you, Miss.”
Rose stepped over to Preston who look slightly overwhelmed.
“This gentleman is not a sideshow huckster,” stated Preston.
“No that’s Marshal Elmore Quentin, he was our host in America and helped with this Caiaphas business. I had given him the Javelin of Light and he just returned it,” Rose said shaking the wrapped spear.
“Interesting, he was able to wield the relic?”
“I suppose. Preston, get this truck on the move. We will deal with the what’s left of the crowd. Oh, and Elmore says you need to pay the driver three times his wage.”
“Bloody extortion. If that driver had just done his job, we wouldn’t of had this scene. I wonder if that was his plan all along,”
“Preston,” Rose said placing her hand on his wrist. “I suggest until you get some more time with the public you have Brentwood or Lorelei along to help you manage. It is so good to see you out and about, but do take care,”
“Fair enough, speaking of Miss von Traube, her parents are soon to be visiting and I would like you to come to the manor when we entertain them. Now I’ll be off, but do keep an eye out for the invitation,” said Preston stepping onto the runner board of the truck, opening the door and hopping in the passenger seat.